Latest news / Newyddion diweddaraf

Rebecca Evans AM, Assembly Member for Gower, has visited Murton Clinic to meet with children's speech and language therapists who work across the health board area.

Speech and language therapists provide treatment, support and care for people who have difficulties with communication, or with eating, drinking and swallowing.

Rebecca Evans AM said: “I was delighted to have the opportunity to meet with the paediatric speech and language therapy service at Murton Clinic.

"The team does fantastic work with children and their families to help give them the best start in life.

"We know that around 7% of children at 5 years of age have speech, language and communication needs, and this increases in areas of social disadvantage where half of the children have significant language delay. The work of the speech and language team is crucial in helping us address health inequalities.

"Early support and intervention is crucial as vocabulary difficulties at age 5 are significantly associated with poor literacy, mental health and employment outcomes by the age of 34.​ "I was really struck by the dedication of the team who clearly have incredible passion for the work that they do. They can rightly be proud of the work that they do supporting families in Gower and beyond."

Local AM for Gower, Rebecca Evans, has welcomed student finance plans that will mean that every student in Wales will receive the equivalent of the National Living Wage during term time while they study.

The radical overhaul of student finance in Wales was published after an independent review led by Professor Sir Ian Diamond and a panel of experts. The proposals mean that the average Welsh student could receive £7,000 a year in grant support while they study, with a pro-rata version available to part-time students. The maximum level of support available is expected to be more than £9,000 a year for those studying full–time, if implemented in 2018/19.

The proposals that have been accepted include:

A fundamental shift to a system that provides financial support for the daily living costs of students – both full-time and part-time – through a mix of grants and loans. It would mean students receiving the equivalent of the National Living Wage during term time while they study.

A £1,000 annual non-means-tested universal maintenance grant to be made available to all students alongside the additional means-tested grant to cover living costs. Part-time students will receive a modified version of this support on a pro-rata basis.

The top rate of maintenance grant and loan support, for a student living away from home outside London, should be equivalent to the National Living Wage – based on 37.5 hours per week over a 30 week period, currently £8,100. A maximum total support of 25% more (£10,125) to be available for a student living away from home in London.

Maintenance support to be paid to students, as soon as is practicable, on a monthly basis to enable more efficient financial planning and budgeting.

New, innovative ways of funding part-time students and a support package for post-graduate studies that helps students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Students with an experience of care will receive the maximum maintenance grant.

The Welsh Government will consult on the proposed changes until 14th February 2017, with a view to the new arrangements being in place for students starting university in September 2018. The changes will be subject to Treasury approval and the ability of the Student Loans Company to put the new funding system in place.

Rebecca Evans AM said: “These proposals are sustainable and fair and will provide future Welsh students with the support they need to flourish in higher education.

“They also represent the most generous and progressive set of proposals available anywhere in the UK.

“This once again signals that the Welsh Government is listening. I speak to students from Gower regularly, and they tell me their biggest concern is living costs. The Welsh Government is directly addressing this.”

“Along with breathtaking beauty, Gower can also boast some of the best quality bathing waters in Europe.

"This is great news for the businesses which rely on the tourists who flock to our Gower coastline, and is also fantastic for Swansea residents who have something truly special on the doorstep."

Across Wales, 102 designated bathing waters in Wales achieved the European standard of sufficient or above, placing Wales among the best performing countries in Europe for water cleanliness. 84 achieved 'Excellent' status.

“Wales has some of the most stunning coastline anywhere in the world. Our beaches and other bathing areas are a magnet for visitors from far and wide as well as being hugely popular with local communities.

“It is excellent news that so many of our waters have been recognised as being of such a high standard. These are located all around Wales, from urban areas in the south east to popular seaside tourist destinations in the west and north.

“A healthy environment sustains our economy and improves our quality of life. With clean bathing waters, our coast and natural environment will continue to provide huge benefits to the people of Wales and to our visitors.

“These figures are no accident. They are the direct result of a lot of hard work by local people, local authorities and organisations like Natural Resources Wales and Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water, who have invested more than £1 billion in sewage treatment and network improvements, since 2001."

Emyr Roberts, Chief Executive of Natural Resources Wales, said:

“With the second year of the tough new EU standards, it is great news that 102 of the 103 bathing waters in Wales achieved the directive standard of sufficient. 94% of our beaches have achieved good or excellent status, making the quality of the waters at Welsh beaches among some of the best in Europe.

“We will continue to work with those living and working in the local communities, Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water and the local authorities to maintain and improve the results at all our bathing waters in Wales.”

Rebecca Evans AM, Assembly Member for Gower, has welcomed the Welsh Governments announcement that the City and County of Swansea has been chosen to work with the Welsh Government to pilot its new childcare offer.

The offer is the most generous childcare offer for working parents in the UK. Rebecca Evans says that when the policy is implemented it will reduce the strain on family income across Gower and help ensure childcare is not a barrier to parents getting a job or continuing to work.

The projects offering 30 hours of free early education and childcare per week to 3 and 4 year olds will be piloted from September 2017 in specified locations within Swansea, and five other Welsh local authorities.

Testing the offer will allow The Welsh Labour Government to make sure they:

align the hours of childcare with the hours of Early Years Foundation Phase in a way that works for parents and children;

have the right number of childcare places in the right parts of Wales;

develop and expand the workforce, with improved training;

support the sector to grow, providing the flexibility parents need;

learn what works and what doesn’t, building on experience and evidence to deliver for all working parents in Wales.

The Assembly Member is also pleased that Welsh Government has recognised that there are parts of Wales where there is a shortage of childcare they have committed to working with the sector to help it grow and thrive.

Rebecca Evans said: “I know that the cost of childcare is a real worry for many parents in Gower. Helping them meet the cost of childcare and reducing the strain it places on family incomes will benefit not just families but our entire community.

“Today’s announcement is a huge step towards delivering our manifesto pledge in a way that will work for parents and work for those that will deliver the care.

“There are still challenges to be overcome but I know that the Welsh Labour Government is listening and working hard to ensure that working parents in Wales receive the best childcare package available anywhere in the UK.”

I will be holding an advice surgery in Penclawdd on Friday November 11, between 2.30pm - 3.30pm at Penclawdd Community Centre to enable anyone to meet with me and raise concerns or issues.If you would like to book an appointment, please get in touch by either ringing 01792 899 081 or emailing Rebecca.evans@assembly.wales

Rebecca Evans AM, Assembly Member for Gower, is encouraging local artists to take the opportunity to have their artwork displayed in the National Assembly for Wales.

The Assembly Commission is seeking artwork to display in one of the busiest areas of the Assembly building. The artwork can be presented in a variety of styles of 2D work, such as paintings, drawing and sketches.

Rebecca Evans said: “This is a great opportunity for local artists to have their work displayed at the Assembly.

"There is a great deal of artistic talent in Gower, and this is a prime opportunity to showcase it."

Eligible work must be produced by Welsh artists, or work that is relevant to and representative of Welsh culture; demonstrate a high standard of artistic merit; and support the National Assembly’s goals of promoting Wales, representing and engaging with the people of Wales, and using resources sustainably.